90 JUSTIN MORGAN 



ings — sights that later history proved were the making 

 of a fine and sturdy race of men and horses. 



Ofttimes, in bitter winter weather, they passed Httle 

 bare-foot children on their way to school, carrying their 

 shoes in their cold hands, to put on, in a very elegant 

 manner, at the school-house door ; to z^'alk in them would 

 have been wilful extravagance, though their toes were 

 blue with cold ! If, by chance, they found a cow lying 

 down, chewing on her morning cud, they would disturb 

 her rudely and make her get up, that they might put 

 their bare feet on the spot she had so nicely warmed 

 for her own comfort. 



But better and more prosperous times were coming, 

 and it was not long before shoes were looked upon as a 

 necessity for children, not an extravagance, though they 

 were ever evil-smelling things — the leather being home- 

 tanned and home-cured and needing much greasing at 

 night to keep it soft enough to make the shoes wearable. 

 They made an unseemly clumping on the floor, and were 

 very ugly, but their aim being use, not beauty, this was 

 no drawback. 



5}: ^ ^ 5|C ^ jjt 



Sometimes kind and gentle Mistress Hannah Wing 

 rode the Morgan to a quilting bee, or meeting, or to such 

 entertainments as ladies saw fit to attend. She was 

 good to him and made his visits to their barn most 

 pleasant. In the mornings she would come tripping out, 

 her arms full of dew-wet clover or grass, just cut, or 

 she would have a dish of goodies from the kitchen — 

 some carrots or turnips. 'Twas no wonder the horse 

 loved her and called to her, as she drew near, with his 

 affectionate little neigh. He always hoped David might 

 buy him from Hawkins ; he loved the Wings and they 

 returned his friendship. And a horse never knows 



